Written Answers Thursday 10 March 2005

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to highlight to young women over 12 the dangers of drinking and the risk of foetal alcohol syndrome.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Health Scotland produces a teaching pack, Drink Talking , which is distributed to secondary schools and contains a video and teaching notes to facilitate discussion on the effects of alcohol on the body. Although this does not specifically discuss the effects of alcohol on unborn babies, it does offer advice on alcohol consumption. Alcohol: What every parent should know , a guide that is aimed at the parents of teenage children, is also distributed to schools and contains information on the effects of alcohol consumption and the health of unborn children.

Angling

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-1997 by Allan Wilson on 22 April 2004, what further discussions it has had with the Environment Agency with regard to new byelaws for the Border Esk.

Lewis Macdonald: There have been no further discussions. I currently await the latest draft version from the Environment Agency for consideration. The introduction of rod licences is a separate although related matter, and is not subject to consideration or approval by Scottish ministers.

Burial and Cremation

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many burials were carried out by environmental health departments in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004, broken down by local authority.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

Cancer

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any guidance with regard to switching between opioid analgesics in pain relief for cancer patients.

Mr Andy Kerr: Diamorphine is one of the opioid analgesics used in pain relief in cancer patients. On 23 December 2004, the Scottish Executive Health Department wrote to health professionals to alert them to a potential problem with supplies of diamorphine. Health professionals were asked to take every possible step to conserve stocks of diamorphine injection for patients in whom the need is greatest. Alternative analgesics to diamorphine are available and care is needed when switching from one opioid analgesic to another to ensure equipotent dosage. The advice which issued from the department included a dosage guidance table.

  In June 2000, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) issued a guideline on the control of pain in patients with cancer. This guideline, number 44, can be accessed at www.sign.ac.uk.

  The British National Formulary (BNF), issued free to doctors, gives advice on prescribing in palliative care. The BNF can be accessed at www.bnf.org.

Cancer

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cancer patients use complementary medicines.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally. It is open to NHS boards to provide complementary medicines at their discretion and based on their assessment of local needs.

Cancer

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many men (a) were diagnosed with and (b) died from prostate cancer in each year since 1996-97, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: (a) Number of Men Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (ICD-10 C61) Each Year, by Year of Diagnosis and Health Board Area of Residence: 1996-2001

  

Health Board Area of Residence
Year of Diagnosis


1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001


Argyll and Clyde
172
134
150
163
168
164


Ayrshire and Arran
136
144
148
146
161
163


Borders
73
64
58
34
55
40


Dumfries and Galloway
70
47
74
68
63
65


Fife
179
152
137
123
113
132


Forth Valley
151
129
93
138
140
150


Grampian
223
196
230
249
205
230


Greater Glasgow
334
305
285
281
282
362


Highland
71
111
123
124
131
70


Lanarkshire
188
181
185
151
176
165


Lothian
370
313
312
320
374
378


Orkney
10
8
5
7
8
8


Shetland
11
5
11
8
7
3


Tayside
173
157
153
170
161
173


Western Isles
10
15
19
12
6
12


Scotland
2,171
1,961
1,983
1,994
2,050
2,115



  Source: Scottish Cancer Registry, ISD.

  Data Extracted: February 2005.

  (b) Number of Deaths from Prostate Cancer (ICD-10 C61) Each Year, by Year of Death and Health Board Area of Residence: 1996-2003

  

Health Board Area of Residence
Year Of Death


1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Argyll and Clyde
75
57
46
73
66
66
64
58


Ayrshire and Arran
62
44
44
60
58
68
69
72


Borders
26
24
25
27
22
20
23
22


Dumfries and Galloway
24
21
26
28
27
30
23
32


Fife
53
55
62
60
46
51
71
46


Forth Valley
42
43
33
31
44
45
34
46


Grampian
73
85
80
84
78
78
82
74


Greater Glasgow
106
107
109
109
127
120
125
128


Highland
35
30
39
44
45
39
40
40


Lanarkshire
71
62
53
65
73
79
75
61


Lothian
99
98
82
107
111
109
95
117


Orkney
1
3
5
2
5
3
6
3


Shetland
3
4
3
5
1
5
2
2


Tayside
70
69
67
66
69
58
59
80


Western Isles
3
6
3
8
1
6
7
5


Scotland
743
708
677
769
773
777
775
786



  Source: General Register Office (Scotland) (GRO(S)).

  Date Extracted: August 2004.

Concessionary Travel

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in relation to the introduction of the national concessionary travel scheme for older and disabled people.

Nicol Stephen: The national free bus scheme for older and disabled people is on track for introduction in April 2006.

Dyslexia

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what requirement there is for local authorities to provide policy statements and parents’ guidelines on provision for pupils with dyslexia.

Peter Peacock: There is no requirement for local authorities to provide specific policy statements and parent guidelines on provision for dyslexia. Education authorities are, however, required to include a specific statement of the special educational needs policy for each school in their school handbooks.

  Research commissioned by the Executive into local authority policy and provision for dyslexia has recently been completed and Dyslexia Scotland have organised a national conference to consider the findings and identify good practice. The conference is to be held on 17 March and the next step will be for Dyslexia Scotland, with the support of the £100,000 awarded over the period 2005-07 by the Executive, to work with education authorities and to develop best practice guidance to support teaching staff, parents and pupils with dyslexia.

Dyslexia

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recourse exists for parents of children with dyslexia who consider that provision for their child is not appropriate.

Peter Peacock: Education authorities and schools should have clearly stated arrangements in place to meet the concerns of all parents who feel that the education provided for their child is not appropriate. The emphasis should be on resolving matters informally at a local level, thereafter through statutory appeal mechanisms.

  Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, which is due to commence by the end of this year, education authorities will have a new duty to provide and publish details of their independent mediation and dispute resolution services which will be free of charge to parents of children with additional support needs. Both these services will consider matters relating to educational provision including dyslexia.

Education

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to education authorities since March 2003 regarding the safe use of the internet in schools.

Euan Robson: The principles set out in the March 2003 guidance are still valid. The Learning and Teaching Scotland "Double Click Thinking" website which supports the circular is updated from time to time, most recently in October 2004.

Education

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when updates and reports will be made available on the betterbehaviourscotland webpage.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive plans to make new content available on the betterbehaviourscotland website regularly during the school year, from the summer term of 2005. At present, all major policy documents relevant to promoting positive behaviour are published on the Scottish Executive website.

Education

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels of pupil truancy are for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools, broken down by local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The information requested was published in chapter 4 of Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools, 2003-04 and is available on the Executive’s website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00382-00.asp or in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, (Bib. number 34761).

Environment

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive why it is under investigation by the European Commission for allegedly breaching environmental law in 32 cases.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2O-5788 on 10 March 2005.

Environment

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many annual reports of the Environment Agency have been received by Scottish ministers since 1999 to date, pursuant to clause 10(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 (Border Rivers) Order 1999, and how many of these have been laid before the Parliament, pursuant to clause 10(2) of that order.

Lewis Macdonald: None. Copies of the relevant reports will be laid before the Parliament as soon as possible.

Environment

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive why data on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory is only available up to 2002.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) data are only available for 2002 as this was the first statutory reporting year. Data will be available for 2004 as the next statutory reporting year and then for each subsequent calendar year.

Football

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what further action it is taking to support the installation of new generation artificial football pitches in Scotland.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive welcomes and is supportive of proposals which will deliver modern facilities capable of supporting an increase in sports participation. A number of artificial pitches are being developed through the New Opportunities for Physical Education and Sports (NOPES) Lottery programme and funding is also available to support their development through  sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme.

Further and Higher Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the viability of Heriot-Watt University maintaining its campus in Galashiels and on the consequences for Borders College should the shared campus proposals fall through.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Further Education Funding Council recently approved the business case made by Borders College to re-locate on a shared campus with Heriot-Watt. The business case contained alternative options for the college should the co-location proposal not take place.

  Ministers and the funding council continue to fully support the development of such collaborative ventures.

G8 Summit

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take to assist the G8’s aims of supporting reform in the middle east.

Mr Tom McCabe: Implementing the G8 Plan of Support for Middle East Reform is the responsibility of the UK Government, working with other partners in the G8 and the Middle East. The Executive has made clear to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office its willingness to support implementation of elements of the plan if requested.

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the implications for health of living near high voltage transmission lines.

Rhona Brankin: In March 2004, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) published new advice on limiting public exposure to electromagnetic fields, including those from power lines. This new advice recommends adoption of the guidelines on levels of public exposure that are published by the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection. The NRPB note, however, that there have been some population studies that point to the possibility of effects below these guidelines, in particular for power-frequency magnetic fields. It has therefore recommended that Government consider the possible need for further precautionary measures.

  The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health (Melanie Johnson) has written to the Chairman of the NRPB welcoming the new advice, highlighting the need for inter-departmental working and introducing initial plans for a wider stakeholder process to address the NRPB’s call for consideration of further precautionary measures in this area. This process is now underway through a stakeholder advisory group on extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. Membership of the group includes UK government departments, the devolved administrations, the electricity supply industry, the electricity supply regulators and a number of non-governmental organisations and public concern groups.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a shortage of supply of diamorphine within the NHS and how many weeks of supply is in stock.

Mr Andy Kerr: In December 2004, Chiron, the major supplier of diamorphine injection in the UK, informed the Department of Health that its supplies of this product were limited. The other supplier, Wockhardt UK, continues to produce diamorphine injection and has increased its production and these extra supplies are being distributed to the NHS.

  Because of the limited availability of diamorphine injection, prescribers have been asked, wherever possible, to switch patients to alternative analgesics. Given the switch in prescribing habits, stocks of diamorphine injection are being conserved for those patients whose need is greatest. The UK Health Departments are taking whatever action is necessary to secure sufficient supplies of the alternative medicines to meet the needs of patients in the UK.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to prescribers with regard to any shortage of diamorphine.

Mr Andy Kerr: On 23 December 2004, the Scottish Executive Health Department issued guidance to health professionals alerting them to a potential shortage of diamorphine injection. Alternative analgesics to diamorphine are available, principally morphine, and clinicians will need to decide which product is most appropriate for each individual patient.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to acquire sufficient supplies of diamorphine for use in the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: In December 2004, Chiron, the major supplier of diamorphine injection in the UK, informed the Department of Health that its supplies of this product were limited. Since that time, the Scottish Executive Health Department working with NHS National Services Scotland, the Department of Health and NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, have been monitoring the supply situation for diamorphine.

  Wockhardt UK, the other UK supplier, has increased its production and extra supplies are being distributed to the NHS. However, it is likely that diamorphine injection will remain in short supply for the immediate future. Health professionals have been asked to conserve stocks for patients in whom the need is greatest. Wherever possible, the use of alternative medicines should be considered.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken action to avoid any shortage in supply of morphine within the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency is in contact with the suppliers of morphine, who have increased their production of this product.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any trials to reduce the use of co-proxamol.

Mr Andy Kerr: The safety of medicines available on the UK market is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the expert independent advisory committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).

  There have been longstanding concerns about the safety and efficacy of co-proxamol. The CSM first warned prescribers about the risks associated with co-proxamol in 1985. Despite being identified by the British National Formulary as "less suitable for prescribing", co-proxamol remains widely prescribed.

  During 2004, the CSM reviewed all the available evidence regarding the risks and benefits of co-proxamol. A public call for evidence on the risks and benefits of co-proxamol was also conducted for 12 weeks in 2004; the MHRA wrote to a large number of organisations representing health care professionals, patient groups and other stakeholders as well as publishing the request for information on their website (www.mhra.gov.uk). The CSM reviewed all the responses together with international evidence on the safety of co-proxamol. The information gathered during this exercise provided no new objective evidence concerning the risk:benefit of co-proxamol.

  The CSM noted that previously strengthened warnings to doctors and patients on the hazards of co-proxamol proved ineffective. After considering the wide range of available evidence and the options for action to reduce the risk of overdose (e.g. prescriber and patient education, smaller pack sizes and restricted indications) the CSM determined that the risks of co-proxamol clearly outweigh the benefits of allowing this medicine to remain on the market.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any guidance regarding initiating the prescription of co-proxamol.

Mr Andy Kerr: The safety of medicines available on the UK market is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the expert independent advisory committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).

  There are a number of alternatives for managing pain and the CSM has issued advice on pain management options to assist prescribers, together with individual patients, in choosing pain management strategies. This guidance also refers to a number of sources of additional advice including the British National Formulary, issued to doctors and pharmacists.

  On 31 January 2005, The Scottish Executive Health Department issued advice from Professor Gordon Duff, Chairman, CSM, about the withdrawal of co-proxamol. The CSM’s overview of alternative analgesic options is available on the MHRA website (www.mhra.gov.uk). In order to minimise disruption of health care provision, co-proxamol will be phased out over an extended period of time so that patients currently receiving co-proxamol may be switched to a suitable alternative.

  No new patients should be initiated on co-proxamol therapy.

Hedges

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce legislation to give local authorities the power to cut high hedges.

Mr Tom McCabe: Owing to competing legislative priorities, we have no plans to introduce legislation on high hedges during the current Parliament.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role local authorities have in the provision by registered social landlords of new build housing and housing regeneration in their areas following the submission and approval of local housing strategies.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Guidance on the preparation of local housing strategies produced for local authorities suggests that Strategies should identify the broad picture of investment needs for existing and new housing.

  While local housing strategies are not intended to be bidding documents, the priorities identified in Strategies are expected to determine councils' future expenditure priorities.

  A fit for purpose local housing strategy should set out a clear investment framework for registered social landlords and for other partners and providers that would allow them to prioritise and target their actions and resources in support of the strategy.

  Where the management of development funding has transferred from Communities Scotland, local authorities are also responsible for the administration of funding to Registered Social Landlords and other providers – in all other cases this function remains with Communities Scotland.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how frequently local housing strategies should be updated.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to reply. Her response is as follows:

  Local housing strategies set out a view of the local housing system for a period of at least five years.

  Local authorities are required to submit the material needed to update their first LHS (dated 2003 or 2004) to Communities Scotland by 1 July 2005.

  In addition councils are due to submit their Scottish Housing Quality Standard Delivery Plans by the end of April 2005 and these will also form a significant element of updating the local housing strategies.

Housing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to Communities Scotland regarding supporting sustainable housing.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Scottish Executive promotes sustainable development practices for all housing development grant-funded by Communities Scotland. This involves the measurement of the following indicators for all projects:

  energy efficiency as measured by average performance SAP ratings

  average energy (space + water heating) costs per annum (£)

  average CO2 emissions per annum (tonnes)

  number of new units built on "brownfield" sites

  existence of a verifiable sustainable development policy (for RSLs engaged in housing development)

  space standards as per average resident capacity

  the level of housing for varying needs barrier free compliance

  the level of secured by design dwellings.

  In addition, all social landlords are expected to prepare plans by 29 April 2005 showing how they aim to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015. The Quality Standard contains a range of measures, including ensuring houses meet minimum standards of energy efficiency.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether there will be any flexibility within the new points system for economic immigrants entering Britain, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , to allow any extra points to be awarded to potential economic immigrants with skills that are particularly needed in Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answers to question S2W-14627 on 8 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search .

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects that the new four-tier points system for economic immigration, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will have on the Executive’s aim of increasing immigration to Scotland.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to introduce mandatory UK knowledge tests to achieve permanent residence in the United Kingdom, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Executive’s aim of attracting more economic immigrants to Scotland.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to lengthen the period before immigrants are offered permanent settlement in the United Kingdom to five years in employment, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Executive’s aim of attracting more immigrants to Scotland.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what extra resources it will make available to assist in English language training for immigrants following the UK Government’s announcement of mandatory English language tests for all immigrants, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain .

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what extra resources it will make available to assist in UK knowledge classes for immigrants following the UK Government’s announcement of mandatory UK knowledge tests for all immigrants, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain .

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to restrict the categories of immigrants with a "route to settlement" to only skilled or highly-skilled immigrants, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Executive’s aim of attracting more immigrants to Scotland.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to restrict immigrants to bringing only immediate family to the United Kingdom, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Executive’s aim of attracting more immigrants to Scotland, taking account of the countries from where Scotland attracts immigrants that have cultures of extended families.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to introduce mandatory English language tests for immigrants, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Executive’s aim of attracting more economic immigrants to Scotland.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to restrict chain migration, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Executive’s aim of attracting more immigrants to Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: I welcome the recognition in the Home Office’s Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain that Scotland faces particular demographic challenges. We are pursuing these challenges through our Fresh Talent policy within the framework of the UK immigration system. I look forward to working closely with the Home Office as details of the plan are developed.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish representation there will be on the skills advisory body, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , to ensure that skills shortages and labour gaps in Scotland are taken into account when drawing up a points system for potential economic immigrants.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive will be represented on the new body which will be drawn from existing sector skills councils and the Skills for Business Network. The new body will cover interests across the UK.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is, with regard to the situation in Scotland, on the Home Office view that following EU enlargement it is unlikely that there will continue to be a case for low-skill immigration schemes and that the schemes currently in existence should be phased out, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain .

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects that the UK Government’s plans to phase out schemes for low-skill immigration, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , will impact on the Scottish labour market.

Mr Tom McCabe: I welcome the recognition in the Home Office’s Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain that Scotland faces particular demographic challenges. We are pursuing these challenges through our Fresh Talent policy within the framework of the UK immigration system. I look forward to working closely with the Home Office on the detail of how the five year plan will be implemented.

  The existing low-skill schemes account for only a very small proportion of low-skilled migration to the UK. Accession country nationals are increasingly filling low-skill jobs in the hospitality and agriculture sectors. Almost 8,000 workers from these countries have registered in Scotland since the worker registration scheme came into effect on 1 May 2005 and we are looking at ways in which we can promote Scotland in these countries and raise this figure still higher.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the UK Government with regard to the impact of the potential increase in the use of Dungavel House immigration removal centre for the detention of asylum seekers following the UK Government’s aim of increasing the use of detention centres for dealing with asylum seekers, as announced in the Home Office document, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain , and what the outcome of any such discussions was.

Malcolm Chisholm: The operation and management of Dungavel are matters for the Home Office. Scottish Executive and Home Office officials have regular meetings to keep abreast of developments and discuss asylum matters as they relate to devolved services. The next meeting is scheduled for 23 March 2005 at which we expect the Home Office to brief Scottish Executive officials on their document.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures the number of immigrants who enter Scotland originating from the EU accession states.

Mr Tom McCabe: Immigration is a reserved matter, and statistics on the control of immigration are a matter for the Home Office.

  The General Register Office for Scotland compiles estimates of international migration into Scotland, for the purposes of demographic estimation and projections. A migrant is internationally defined as someone who changes his or her country of residence for a period of at least a year. These estimates are derived primarily from the International Passenger Survey (IPS). Because the sample-size involved is relatively small, the estimates do not allow figures for the accession states to be separately identified.

  There is some information available on workers and visitors from accession states:

  Information about the number of people from the EU accession states who have registered to work in Scotland, including seasonal workers as well as immigrants, is available from the Home Office: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/reports/accession_monitoring.Maincontent.0007.file.tmp/Final%20Feb%20accession%20report.pdf.

  Information from the IPS about all visitors to the UK from accession countries (including those who visit for less than 12 months and are therefore not defined as migrants) is published monthly and is available through the following link: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=12222&More=n.

  This does not give information for Scotland due to the small sample-size.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific methods it uses to attract economic migrants entering the United Kingdom from the EU accession states to Scotland and what funding has been allocated to support any such methods.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place between it and the Home Office to promote Scotland as a place to settle for immigrants from the EU accession states.

Mr Tom McCabe: As part of the Fresh Talent initiative, activities are underway to promote Scotland as a place to live, work and study overseas, including in the accession countries. For example, staff from the Fresh Talent team are attending an education fair in Poland in March to promote Scotland as a destination of choice. We have also run articles in the Polish media to raise Scotland’s profile. Almost a tenth of the enquiries to the Relocation Advisory Service are from Polish nationals which reflects the strong links that exist between Scotland and Poland. The overall Fresh Talent budget of £1.7 million in 2004-05 includes funding for promotional activities overseas, including in the accession countries.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to develop specific policies to attract economic migrants from the EU accession states and, if so, what these plans are.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Fresh Talent Initiative aims to attract bright, talented and hard-working individuals from all countries, including the EU accession states, to come and live, work and study in Scotland. We are engaged in a number of activities to promote Scotland overseas, including in the accession countries. For example, staff from the Fresh Talent team are attending an education fair in Poland in March to promote Scotland as a destination of choice. We have also run articles in the Polish media to raise Scotland’s profile. I would expect to see results from this activity in the months and years ahead.

Justice

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the right of householders to defend their property from intruders.

Cathy Jamieson: The law in Scotland allows householders to use reasonable force to protect themselves, or another person, from an attack if they have no means of escape or retreat. If there is a threat to property but no threat to personal safety, reasonable force can also be used to seize and detain the intruder.

Justice

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12959 by Tavish Scott on 28 January 2005, what its policy is in relation to the undertaking of criminal prosecutions by private individuals and whether the power for a landowner or occupier, as well as the procurator fiscal, to prosecute an alleged offender under the Game (Scotland) Act 1832 is consistent with this policy.

Tavish Scott: The sole public prosecutor in Scotland is the Lord Advocate. He is represented locally by the Procurator Fiscal. The question of prosecution by a private individual is a matter of law rather than policy.

  The authority vested in landowners and others by virtue of the Game (Scotland) Act 1832 can be distinguished from private prosecution.

  A person may apply to the High Court of Justiciary for authority to bring a private prosecution in relation to a crime at common law or a statutory offence for which imprisonment without option of a fine is competent. Such a person must establish that he or she has a substantial interest to do so and that the Lord Advocate has refused to prosecute. The petitioner must state that the Lord Advocate has not only refused to prosecute but has also refused to concur in a private prosecution. In considering whether to concur in a private prosecution in any case the Lord Advocate will have regard to whether it is in the public interest in view of the facts and circumstances of the case. Such prosecutions have only been authorised by the High Court twice since 1900.

  In contrast, section 2 of the Game (Scotland) Act 1832 is a specific statutory provision which provides that a trespasser who has been required to quit land and give his or her name and abode but refuses to do so may be arrested and brought before a justice of the peace and, on summary conviction, at the instance of the owner or occupier of the land or the Procurator Fiscal may be required to pay a financial penalty of not more than level one on the standard scale. It would be inappropriate for a person to be prosecuted twice for the same offence and therefore, in practice, any person seeking to prosecute a trespasser for this offence should ensure that no other proceedings are in contemplation or have been taken.

  We are not aware of any cases in recent times in which a private individual has initiated a prosecution in terms of section 2 of the act but records held indicate that a very small number of offences have been reported to procurators fiscal.

  Any review of the Game (Scotland) Act 1832 will provide an opportunity to examine the situation and consider amendments.

Local Government Finance

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the approximately £9 billion of debt owed by local authorities has an impact on the delivery of core services, such as care for elderly people and services for disabled people.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local authorities’ accumulated debt as at 31 March 2004 of £9 billion is made up from past years’ capital investment programmes and around 75% is directly supported by the Scottish Executive through revenue support grant in the form of Loan Charge Support. In 2003-04 this support amounted to £861 million. The remaining debt is financed from other revenue streams, mainly from income from housing rents and housing support grant.

  The Executive’s support has enabled authorities to make significant investments over many years in infrastructure including capital investment to assist with the delivery of services for elderly people and disabled people, such as new residential care homes.

  The Executive is also continuing to support around £300 million of new capital investment each year as part of the three-year settlement for local government finance. This will run alongside self-supported or "prudential" capital investment by local authorities which authorities undertake to fund themselves.

Local Government Finance

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the cost of servicing its £1.27 billion debt and whether the £121 million a year repayments represent a competitive rate.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with all local authorities and Joint Boards of Police and Fire, with regard to their respective levels of outstanding debt, and the annual level of revenue support from the Scottish Executive to meet the costs of servicing this debt.

  It is up to each local authority to negotiate with their lender(s) the best terms in servicing loans and they are under a legislative duty of Best Value which includes sound management of resources and accountability.

Ministerial Correspondence

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of each stage of its process for dealing with correspondence from MSPs.

Ms Margaret Curran: Letters from MSPs, like all correspondence, are received and opened in the private office of the Minister to whom they are addressed. They are then sent to the Ministerial Correspondence Unit where they are scanned and recorded on an electronic tracking system. Where the letter is for a response from a Scottish minister, a draft response is then prepared for consideration by the minister concerned.

  If the letter is about an operational matter it is sent to the Scottish Executive Agency concerned for reply. If the issue is a reserved matter the letter is transferred to the relevant Whitehall department to reply.

Ministerial Correspondence

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its target response times are in respect of ministerial correspondence from MSPs and how it is performing in relation to these targets.

Ms Margaret Curran: Since 1 January 2005 the Executive’s target for replying to all ministerial correspondence is 20 working days from the date of receipt.

  For the month of January 2005, 73% of replies to ministerial correspondence were issued in 20 working days. Separate information on performance in relation to correspondence from MSPs is not available.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the occupancy rate for acute beds has been in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The occupancy figures are shown in the table:

  NHSScotland - Percentage Acute1 Bed Occupancy2; by NHS Board Area: Years Ending 31 March 2000-04

  

 
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004P


Scotland
80.0
81.1
81.3
81.8
81.6


Argyll and Clyde
83.0
82.8
82.0
79.8
79.9


Ayrshire and Arran
81.4
82.1
81.2
80.5
80.3


Borders
76.0
79.7
80.0
81.3
83.2


Dumfries and Galloway
74.3
74.9
76.1
76.3
76.6


Fife
83.8
84.0
81.5
81.8
83.2


Forth Valley
82.7
81.5
80.1
81.4
82.4


Grampian
77.9
79.8
81.3
82.7
81.7


Greater Glasgow
80.9
80.7
81.4
81.8
80.6


Highland
75.2
77.0
78.3
76.7
77.2


Lanarkshire
74.8
78.0
82.2
84.2
86.0


Lothian
85.1
85.5
82.8
84.7
85.3


Orkney
60.4
59.4
65.2
70.7
62.4


Shetland
59.6
68.9
72.1
65.9
60.6


Tayside
78.1
81.7
82.7
82.5
81.5


Western Isles
73.9
74.6
77.9
71.2
68.1



  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Acute care refers to specialties primarily concerned in the surgical, medical and dental sectors. Specifically excluded are the obstetric, psychiatric and long-stay sectors.

  2. Includes joint-user and contractual hospitals.

  The table shows information on bed occupancy, which is the proportion of available staffed beds that were occupied by in-patients at midnight. Patients that are not present at the midnight census, such as day cases, are not included.

  The information is derived as follows: percentage occupancy = occupied bed days * 100 / available staffed bed days.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been over the last five years between patients being referred by their GP for oxygen concentrator services and assessments being provided.

Mr Andy Kerr: Patients who require long term oxygen therapy are referred to a respiratory consultant for assessment. Information on the median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a respiratory consultant, following referral by a general medical practitioner for NHSScotland in the years ending 31 December 2000-04 inclusive, is shown in the following table:

  

 
Median Wait*


Year Ending 31 December 2000
22 days


Year Ending 31 December 2001
27 days


Year Ending 31 December 2002
27 days


Year Ending 31 December 2003
29 days


Year Ending 31 December 2004P
31 days



  PProvisional.

  Note: *Excludes patients with Availability Status Codes.

  The gradual expansion of the oxygen concentrator service and the powering of the threshold for referral to this service has resulted in an increase to the median.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations about delays in providing assessments in relation to the provision of oxygen concentrator services.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are not aware of any significant delays. I would refer you to the answer to question S2W-14575 on 10 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The average waiting time for installation of a concentrator from receipt of prescription is normally about four days.

National Health Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13977 by Rhona Brankin on 23 February 2005, whether it will provide a full answer to the question and, in particular, who has statutory authority to apply physical restraint to persons undergoing treatment by NHS staff other than in the case of mental health patients.

Rhona Brankin: Outwith the mental health setting there is no specific statutory authority that applies to NHS Staff to apply physical restraint to persons undergoing treatment.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14157 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005, what payments have been made, or may be made, to any of the organisations referred to for the provision of advice and support to those seeking to complain about the NHS in their area.

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new framework for a new independent advice and support service to replace the work currently done by local health councils will be approved and published.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Health Department have funded Citizens Advice Scotland to develop a draft framework for an independent advice and support service. This envisages NHS boards working in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureaux in their area to provide a service to meet the needs of the people they serve. A first draft will issue to NHS boards for comment shortly.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14160 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005, whether it will give the explicit reasons why the new Scottish Health Council was not given the task of providing advice and support services for those people seeking to complain about the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: The consultation document A New Public Involvement Structure for NHSScotland , held in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26830), outlined the proposals for the Scottish Health Council which were based on an increasing emphasis on NHS boards directly engaging with and involving the public, and the need for a new body to provide quality assurance of boards’ performance.

  Providing advice and support services to people wishing to comment on NHS services has been the responsibility of the board. This service has been provided by some local health councils in the past and some NHS boards have provided funding for complaints support staff. There are currently no national standards for the delivery of complaints advice and support and it is outwith the health council core remit. Arrangements are now being developed to establish a partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland and their local bureaux to formalise their existing arrangements for providing advice and support on NHS services.

  The Scottish Health Council will not provide advice and support services, but they will seek to ensure that NHS boards have appropriate and effective arrangements in place. The Scottish Health Council will also ensure that individual patients, carers and members of the public are able to make their views on health services known.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-14158 and S2W-14156 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005, why new advice and support systems are unlikely to be in place on 1 April 2005.

Mr Andy Kerr: The provision of advice and support for people wishing to comment on NHS services is the responsibility of NHS boards and will remain so. New advice and support systems will be available from 1 April 2005.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which Executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other public bodies have been created since 1997.

Mr Tom McCabe: A list of Executive Agencies and public bodies formally classified as non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), established since 1997 is provided below.

  Details of those bodies not classified as Executive Agencies or NDPBs are not held centrally by the Executive.

  Executive Agencies

  

Accountant in Bankruptcy


Communities Scotland


HM Inspectorate of Education


Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)


Scottish Building Standards Agency



  Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs)

  

Bord Gaidhlig na H-Alba


Bus Users Complaints Tribunal


Cairngorms National Park Authority


Health Technology Board for Scotland1


Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland


Learning and Teaching Scotland2


Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland


National Waiting Times Centre


NHS 24


NHS Education for Scotland3


NHS Quality Improvement Scotland4


Risk Management Authority


Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards


Scottish Ambulance Service for Scotland


Scottish Child Care Board5


Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care


Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission


Scottish Further Education Funding Council


Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee


Scottish Screen


Scottish Social Services Council


Scottish Water6


The Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority


Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland



  Notes:

  1. Subsequently abolished - replaced by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

  2. Established following the merger of The Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum and Scottish Council for Educational Technology.

  3. Established following the merger of The Post Qualification Education Board for Health Service Pharmacists in Scotland, the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland and the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

  4. Established following the merger of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland and the Health Technology Board for Scotland.

  5. Subsequently abolished.

  6. Replaced previous three separate water authorities.

Ophthalmic Services

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what professional development opportunities currently exist for nurses wishing to specialise in ophthalmology.

Rhona Brankin: NHS boards, as part of their clinical governance arrangements, are required to put in place, or ensure access to, education and training to meet local needs. In areas where ophthalmic services are delivered, NHS boards make sure that appropriate education and training for nurses is available which can be either work based learning or academically accredited by local higher education institutions.

People with Disabilities

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to extend opportunities to enter the workforce to people with disabilities.

Allan Wilson: Employment opportunities for disabled people are provided under UK legislation through the job search and support offered by Jobcentre Plus and the New Deal for Disabled People.

  The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 protects disabled people from unlawful discrimination; this protection was extended on 1 October 2004 to additional employers and jobs across the United Kingdom.

  In Scotland, the Scottish Executive’s Healthy Working Lives and the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well Being include the promotion of employment and job retention.

Private Finance Initiative

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its total spending on Private Finance Initiative (PFI) consultants was in each year since 1999; how many full-time equivalent PFI consultants were employed over this period; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was, and how many PFI consultancy firms it has used over this period.

Mr Tom McCabe: The following table shows the total spending on consultancy services in support of Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects by the Executive in each year since 1999:

  

Year
Amount (£)


1999
Nil


2000
Nil


2001
315,000


2002
271,091


2003
348,486


2004
893,543


2005
57,160



  The totals particularly for 2004, reflect the increasing investment in infrastructure, including use of PPP projects, as shown in Building a Better Scotland : Infrastructure Investment Plan (Bib. number 35376).

  The Executive has used eight PPP consultancy firms during this period. The number of full-time equivalents employed by these firms is not readily available.

  In addition, there are four secondments to the Executive’s Financial Partnerships Unit. The expenditure on these to the end of 2004 totals £46,404.

Recycling

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reform planning guidelines to ensure that new housing includes provision for kerbside collection of recyclable material.

Malcolm Chisholm: This was done in Planning Advice Note 63: Waste Management Planning published in February 2002. We are reviewing the guidelines, and indeed all aspects of planning and waste, as part of our review of National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 10: Planning and Waste Management .

Road Safety

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met BEAR Scotland to discuss the Route Accident Reduction Plan for trunk roads in Fife.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive met with BEAR Scotland to discuss Route Accident Management Plans, which include accident reduction measures, for the A92 and A985/A977 trunk roads on 13 December 2004 and 21 January 2005 respectively. The Scottish Executive also met with BEAR Scotland on 31 January 2005 to discuss site specific Accident Investigation and Prevention reports.

Road Safety

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve road safety on the trunk road network.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive addresses road safety on the trunk road network on a number of fronts.

  Each year the Scottish Executive carries out a systematic examination across the trunk road network in order to identify accident problem areas. This results in a programme of targeted Accident Investigation and Prevention work. The Executive is also represented on each of the Safety Camera Partnerships and funds the Scottish Road Safety Campaign.

Scottish Enterprise

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to Scottish Enterprise about the level of fees paid to celebrities for appearances at events organised by the Scottish Enterprise Network.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance to Scottish Enterprise on the level of fees paid to celebrities who appear at events organised by them. The Scottish Executive does however provide guidance on the procurement of services generally and Scottish Enterprise is required to comply with its terms.

Scottish Health Council

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14155 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005, whether it will list all the members of the Scottish Health Council, their areas of expertise and their home areas.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information was provided in press releases, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 35664 and 35665) which announced the appointments.

Scottish Medicines Consortium

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how decisions of the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) are monitored for implementation at NHS board level.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take if NHS boards do not include decisions of the Scottish Medicines Consortium on new pharmaceutical products in their formulary lists.

Mr Andy Kerr: All NHS boards should take account of the advice and evidence from the SMC and ensure that recommended medicines are made available to meet clinical need. Where this does not happen it will be followed up proactively by the health department.

  The SMC is developing improved methods for impact assessment for evaluating the effect of their advice on the prescribing of new medicines in primary and secondary care in Scotland.

  In the case of unique drugs for specific conditions which are approved by SMC, a national implementation plan is prepared which all NHS boards are required to follow. Local NHS boards will agree the implementation plan for drugs where an alternative drug treatment already exists.

Sexual Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to set up a pharmacy Chlamydia screening pathfinder in the independent community pharmacy sector, similar to that proposed by the Department of Health.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Right Medicine; a Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland identifies community pharmacists as having a role in providing access to advice in various areas of sexual health promotion such as advice on safe sex and avoiding sexually transmitted infections as well as providing contraceptive services, for example access to emergency hormonal contraception.

  As part of its work in Phase One (2001-04), the National Demonstration Project Healthy Respect enabled community pharmacists in Lothian to provide Chlamydia testing as part of an integrated sexual health service. Their work on postal Chlamydia testing kits which were widely distributed in retail outlets including pharmacies has helped to inform the development of the Scottish Executive’s sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility: Strategy and Action Plan for Improving Sexual Health.

  I launched the strategy with a statement to the Scottish Parliament on 27 January. The strategy sets out, for the first time in Scotland, a coherent framework for improving sexual health. We expect its implementation to be driven by the relevant agencies, taking account of input from key stakeholders. Contained within the strategy is a commitment on the Health Department to consider the possible extension of the Chlamydia postal testing kit in the light of the evaluation of Healthy Respect. We will also consider the potential of developing and testing sexually transmitted infections diagnostic kits in rural and urban settings.

Speed Cameras

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the guidelines for the siting of speed cameras.

Cathy Jamieson: The Handbook of Rules and Guidance for the Scottish Safety Camera Programme is reviewed each year in conjunction with the many stakeholders of the Programme at national and local level. A comprehensive review in 2004 resulted in a number of changes to how camera sites are determined and was welcomed by stakeholders. A further review will take place in 2005.

Student Finance

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any changes to the rates of student support for further and higher education students which will apply for the academic year 2005-06.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am delighted to announce the new rates of support for students in further and higher education for academic year 2005-06. I am today placing in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35558) details of the rates of those loans, bursaries and grants, which will be available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students in full-time higher education.

  A general uprating factor of 2.5%, in line with inflation, will be applied to the existing schemes of support in 2005-06, thus maintaining their value in real terms. We are also increasing by the same factor the standard rates of tuition fee payments made to institutions on behalf of eligible students by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

  This increase is consistent with that announced by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on 9 December 2004 for English and Welsh domiciled students.

  The Partnership Agreement contained a commitment to review student bursaries with a view to increasing the family income ceiling and review the amount of bursary available. I announced in January that this bursary has been increased by approximately 11% to £2,395 and that the income thresholds have been increased from £10,740 to £17,500 for the maximum family income ceiling and from £28,000 to £31,500 for the minimum threshold, therefore more students will receive the bursary and more will receive the maximum amount.

  The Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) has also agreed to maintain the alignment between the further and higher education sectors by, where appropriate, uprating the support available to further education students by 2.5%. A copy of these rates is also being placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35558).

Transport

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the (a) Clean Up, (b) Autogas+ and (c) Powershift programmes aimed at promoting fuel-efficient cars; what future plans it has for each of the programmes, and what the respective roles of the Scottish and UK governments are in relation to these programmes.

Lewis Macdonald: Powershift and CleanUp grants are available across the UK and the programmes are funded by the Scottish Executive within Scotland. The UK Government funds the programmes in England. Autogas+ is funded by the Scottish Executive and operates only in Scotland.

  Following a consultation last year, the Powershift and CleanUp grant programmes will be replaced by new programmes after the end of this financial year. Details of the new programmes have yet to be finalised.

  We are also looking at the future of the Autogas+ Programme in light of the changes proposed to the other Programmes. An announcement on the future of the Programme will be made shortly.